Much has been said about Doctor Who's future in recent weeks, but it's looking increasingly likely that Disney won't be stepping back into the TARDIS. The House of Mouse's partnership with the BBC was meant to make the sci-fi series mainstream; instead, ratings have continued to decline, and reviews for the latest revival were mixed.
Showrunner Russell T Davies' return to Doctor Who ultimately wasn't the win that most fans expected. Ncuti Gatwa has left the show after two seasons, and season 3 still hasn't been announced, despite a cliffhanger ending that saw the Time Lord regenerate into Billie Piper.
According to a reliable source for Doctor Who leaks (via SFFGazette.com), the BBC is currently in advanced talks with a potential new partner following the collapse of the Disney+ deal. It's said that this unnamed partner wants greater creative control and for the series to "take itself more seriously." In doing so, it would shift its focus to an older teenage audience, not the under-12 demographic.
Davies strongly opposes the idea and wishes to continue the same fun, campy, child/family-friendly tone that he sees as the key to Doctor Who's decades-long success.
While the BBC is backing Davies' vision for Doctor Who (he reportedly wants to stick around for at least three more seasons), the broadcaster needs a major financial partner and could ultimately be swayed by them pushing for new creatives to get involved. Davies is protective of who works on the show, but may find himself with less creative control on that front.
If a deal can't be made, it seems Doctor Who will either get a shortened season—4 or 6 episodes instead of 8, perhaps—or annual specials, cutting costs in the process. Love or hate his approach to the Whoniverse, it does sound like Davies is doing all he can to make sure the series survives.
On a more positive note, the BBC has signalled it's not giving up on Doctor Who by announcing a new animated series for the pre-school CBeebies channel in the UK. The show will follow the Doctor as he solves mysteries and problems alongside their companions and other friends, facing one or two challenges on their way.
Discussing plans for the BBC to find a "passionate production company" to produce the series at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Patricia Hidalgo, Director of Children's and Education programming, said, "Everyone is welcome at CBeebies, including the Doctor. This much-loved franchise entertains millions around the world, so it is only right that our younger audience get to experience the wonder and the magic of the Doctor in a brand new format."
"This is an extremely exciting opportunity, and we are looking forward to welcoming companies to pitch for this new project, as we continue our commitment and investment in the UK’s animation industry," she added.
This feels like a way to get kids hooked on Doctor Who from as early as possible, and it's not a bad idea given the problems outlined above. It's likely still a long way off, anyway, and there's no word on who will portray the Time Lord.